The use of filters on cigarettes results in lowering both nicotine and particulate matter in the smoke delivered. Efforts to restore or increase the nicotine delivery by adding nicotine to the smoking material, usually tobacco have not been very successful because some of the nicotine was consumed in the fire cone and some was lost by oxidation. Also, while in storage some nicotine was lost to oxidation even before the pack was opened.
One attempt to overcome these problems is taught in Perkins et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,400, entitled, "Nicotine Fortification of Smoking Products". There, a nicotine derivative of polygalacturonic acid or polymannuronic acid was prepared and added to the smoking material to release small amounts of nicotine upon pyrolysis. These derivatives were said to be stable during storage.
A different approach to reducing particulate matter in the smoke but which also reduces nicotine is taught in Gabriel, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,720. This patent teaches placing small pellets of crushed aluminum foil along the axis of a tobacco rod to provide a relatively cold surface for condensation of particulate matter ("tar") and nicotine from the smoke.